Test Tatting for LadyShuttleMaker and a "Few" Orchid Photos

Howdy. I'd love to say I have lots of tatting to show you, but I don't. I really haven't felt like tatting lately. I have picked up my shuttles several times, and have picked up several balls of thread and put them back. I looked through my Pop-a-Bobbin shuttles again after Jane listed some of her awesome Poke Proof shuttle pouches (I HAD to buy two more as my newer shuttles needed to be kept safe). Anyway, I won't bore you any more as I did a bit of tatting last weekend and I also can share the test tatting I did for Sherry AKA LadyShuttleMaker for her recently released book. Oh, and thanks for the comments about my hook holder. In case anyone is wondering (probably not) I am trying to see how long I can grow my beard. I'd like to at least double the length it is now (it's about 2 inches long) or until a) it become an issue at work or b) I get it caught in something, whatever comes first.

Anyway, here is a sample of what I tested for Sherry:

As you may know this was tatted using "Branching Encapsulation". It's an interesting technique. I would have continued tatting this but I forgot to make a leaf on the third flower. It's funny I forgot to tat the leaf on that flower as it is the best one I tatted. I have to admit, I haven't bought Sherry's book yet. I seem to have reached a point where I have too many books that I haven't tatted from yet. I still may buy the book as this is an interesting technique.

I'm sure many of you have seen Sherry's tatted Scottie. I was lucky enough to have test tatted it as well. This is what I tatted last weekend.

This is a really cute pattern. And was pretty quick to tat too. I used Lizbeth size 20 thread in #606 Charcoal. As a side note, I love this colour! I like the look of tatting in black but it's a pain to work with. Charcoal is dark-the colour is a bit washed out in the photo-but light enough to see the stitches. Retro tatting is easier if needed too. If you haven't done it already, you can download the pattern from Sherry's blog (link to post here).

I think I mentioned a post or two ago that I bought a few new orchids. Well since I mentioned that, I bought a few more. I had better post them now, before I buy anymore. I decided to make a couple picture collages to save space. Enjoy!

Nothing really to say about these. I really like the yellow ones as you don't see many of them. The little one in the lower right is plain but kinda cute too. These are all Phalaenopsis orchids. All NOID (that's No IDentification).

Here is the two newest ones, also Phalaenopsis NOID:

I love these two! The one on the right is also pretty plain, but the flowers are strongly scented. I can't describe the scent-it's perfumey, that's all I can say. I smelled it at the store but thought it was potpourri or something and thought nothing of it. I've had the plant for about two weeks and it's definitely the plant. I love the colour of the one on the right. I haven't seen a Phal. like this before. The colour isn't quite right, but it's close.

That's about it. I'll try to get some tatting done this week. Really. I'll try hard to get some tatting done. Till next time.

Test Tatting for Sherry, Mary Konior's Rose Garden, and a Wee Bit More Maille

About a month and a half ago, I answered Sherry's (AKA LadyShuttleMaker's) call for test tatters for her new butterfly book. I enjoy testing other tatters new patterns, and was pleased when Sherry accepted my offer. I got to test two patterns, though the second one came a few weeks after I finished the first one.

This is Amberlynn. She was tatted with Lizbeth size 20 thread in colour #129 Purple Splendor (I think!). This is a really cool butterfly, and easy to tat.

This little guy (yup, I'm calling this one a guy) is called Swirls (see, it could be a guy butterfly...) was also tatted in Lizbeth thread. For this one, I used Lizbeth size 20, in colour #125 Seascape. I love this colorway as well; you will see it again. I really like these side profile butterflies, but my fingers were not as appreciative; all those joins in the top section of the wing were a pain in the but, er, fingers. As a side note, the slope and roll join was used in the top section of the wing. This was the first time I used the join, but I couldn't talk about it. Both butterflies, and many more, can be found in Sherry's new book "The Exquisite Collection of Tatted Butterflies II", available now in her Etsy shop. I'm thinking of buying it, and I'm not a huge butterfly person.

I took a small break from working on my Windmills doily to try a motif from my new Mary Konior book.

This motif is Rose Garden, by Mary Konior, from her book "Tatting in Lace". This is a very pretty motif. I think it would look even better in more than one colour, perhaps with the outer "leaf" round in a variegated green colourway. The scan doesn't do the motif justice. The centre rose is 3-dimensional. Some of you (I hope) will notice that the motif's outer round shares a striking resemblance to Mary's Masquerade motif. Thread Stats: DMC Cordonnet size 20 thread in white. The above three motifs will be motifs 18,19, and 20 of my Third 25 Motif Challenge.

Finally, I have a few samples of Vertebrae to show you. I mentioned last time that I thought that the weave would look good with another metal as the medium sized rings. Here is the result:

The sample on the left has brass as the medium rings and the right one has bronze as the medium rings. I like the way they both came out, though the brass rings are a little too big. How did that happen, you might ask? Well, apparently, someone (not mentioning names here, but he knows who he is) made a mistake, and ordered the rings in the wrong wire gauge. This mistake means that the rings are about 0.4 mm too big. That doesn't sound like much, but it is. Fortunately they do work, just barely. To be honest, the bronze rings aren't the right size either, but I figured they would be close enough. I'm currently testing a bracelet using these samples. I joined them together, and added more rings to make a bracelet with 6 bronze, 6 brass, 6 bronze and 6 brass vertebra. I will be testing this bracelet to see if my wrist will turn green. If all goes well, a bracelet using one or both of these metals (with stainless steel) will go into my shop, along with the other two. I have the new, larger clasps now, however, I need to wait for a sunny day (that I'm home for) in order to get some decent photos for my shop.

That's all for now. Hopefully, I'll have my Windmills doily completed for my next post (I only have a couple motifs to complete. Till next time.

Some Cool Things To Show You

Well, I guess I didn't post three days in a row after all. I had a migraine yesterday and didn't feel like posting. I'm better now. Now, as the title says, I have some cool things to show you. They are tatting related.

First up, is my new tatting bag and shuttle pouch, made by our own Jane Eborall:

Isn't it cool? I'm sure you've seen this pattern before. I really like both of them. The bag will be much better than my current tatting container, which is a plastic food storage container. The pouch is nice in that it not only holds two of my Aero's, but it also holds the shuttle I got from Sherry (AKA Ladyshuttlemaker):

Here you can see my Agateware "Sherry Shuttle", as Jane called it, peeking out of the pouch. It fits nicely, but since the pouch isn't padded, I'm not going to keep it in there. Maybe Jane can make padded ones specifically for "Sherry Shuttles". Maybe not. Jane is way too busy.

While I was shopping at Herrschners for thread (I've spoiled myself with 6-cord thread and had to get more), I came across a couple really cool things that should be useable with tatting. The first item is a mouse pad. Yeah, you heard me right.

The mouse pad is designed for use with cross stitch, hence the really weird plastic cloth sticking out. Its sticking out because your's truly can't get it back in. The pad consists of a clear acrylic (possibly vinyl) material with a whitish/grayish vinyl material joined on three side. You then insert your item inside. When I saw it, I was sure it could be used with tatting. I was right:

Here you can see my Lucky Clover doily inside the mouse pad. My well used, 5-button, wireless optical mouse is modeling with the pad. I can't wait to make something to go inside the pad. I'll keep you posted when I get around to working on this.

The last thing I wanted to show you is this:

This mug is also designed to have something cross stitched and put inside. I believe the mug is acrylic (the clear part is anyway). Again it comes with the same plastic mesh as the mouse pad. I don't intend on using the mesh in either items. Again, when I start working on this, I'll keep you posted. That's all for now. I'll try to post Sunday. Maybe.

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Now playing: Saskatchewan Express - Saskatchewan: We Love This Place
via FoxyTunes

A Little Bit of Crochet, Tatting, Designin', and Exchangin'

Judging by the title, you'd think I've been busy. Well, you'd be partially right. I have been working on my crochet afghan since my bookmarks for the exchange were mailed. I promised a photo when I last posted. It wasn't easy, but here is a close up of the afghan:


This image is the best one I could come up with. I think I may have to look into a new digital camera. I'm not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but the afghan is called "Colonial Zig-Zag" by Shirley Brown. I'm using Lion Brand Homespun in, wait for it, Colonial! Yes, the pattern name is correct, I didn't change it. The Homespun yarn is really nice to work with, but it has one drawback, it unravels when cut. So you have to knot the ends when you cut it. I am so glad that I decided not to make a fringe on it. Besides requiring nearly a full skein of yarn (I didn't want to buy more than needed), I personally think fringes are kind of "girly" (sorry ladies, don't throw your tatting shuttles at me, unless they are Aero's!).

I have not done much tatting since finishing my bookmarks for the exchange. I have started a pattern by Ruth Perry, but it won't be done for a few days at least. The main piece of tatting I have been working on is a design I came up with. I really don't want to show it, but I will anyway. I will not, however, tell you what it is supposed to be.

To be honest, "it" would look better if I'd followed the (really nice) diagram I had made. Everything pictured was tatted continuously (which may have been part of the problem). I'll be revisiting this piece again later. I'm sure it will look much better. I have also decided to try one of LadyShuttleMaker's ceramic shuttles. I know, I know. I have mentioned before that I like Aero's and Aero type shuttles, but I keep getting drawn to post type shuttles. Here is my new shuttle:

This is one of Sherry's "Agateware" shuttles. When she first showed it, I knew it HAD to be mine. It is actually not a bad tatting shuttle. I did find that when using fine threads, the shuttle unwinds when let go, but that more of a slight annoyance more than anything.

Finally I have received my bookmark from my first partner Karin from Germany. She sent me a really nice bookmark that she designed herself.

This is a really pretty bookmark. Karin used Coats Eldorado in size 10 colour # 4288. The fringe at the bottom is made from cut really long picots. OK, so fringes aren't always girly. Besides the bookmark Karin sent a cool postcard (as well as something extra).

I've been in a number of exchanges, and this one is certainly one of the best. I sure hope Karin likes the bookmark (and the colours I've used). I'll show the bookmarks I have made once both of my partners have received them. Until next time.

I Meant To Post Earlier, I Really Did

I think the title says it all. I have been kinda quiet lately. I have also not been tatting very much. Why? I was crocheting. I mentioned that I purchased some Lion Homespun yarn for an afghan, and I decided to begin work on it. This was decided so I didn't have to work on the afghan during the heat of the summer (which feels like a long way away). We, in parts of Saskatchewan (as well as in British Columbia and Alberta), got hit with snow, rain, freezing rain, snow and rain, and any other combinations of the three possible last weekend. This bad weather continued (to a lesser extent) during the week. A snowfall warning was issued for the city today. We had rain. Anyway, I am about half done the afghan, but I can't show you yet. You see, I can't seem to get a decent picture of it. If the flash on my camera goes off, it washes out the texture of the yarn and the pretty cool zig-zags that the pattern produces. If I turn the flash off, the colour is really bad, and often blurry. So, IF the sun comes out this weekend, I'll try to photograph it in natural sunlight.

I have done a little tatting as well. I signed up for the May Tatting Exchange run by Rachel Jackson (formerly run by Mary Donohue). The exchange is for a tatted bookmark. I am almost finished them but I can't show you them yet. Trust me, I really, really, really (you get the idea!) want to. I am using HDT matched with a solid colour to make them. One of my partners wanted many colours. Well, many colours she shall have; can anyone say "Tutti Frutti" by LadyShuttleMaker! I am matching the HDT with an appropriate solid, which will not be revealed. The pattern I have chosen is one I have made before, and I must say even I am impressed. The way the colour repeated in just the right way was unexpected, and welcomed.

While trying to find a nice pattern to make the exchange, I decided to try Mary Konior's Tatted Filet in Tatting With Visual Patterns. I tried it with HDT. I think I found another pattern where HDT may not work.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Please let me know what you think. I still have the shuttle and ball, er bobbin, attached to the piece. I plan on making this pattern again, but in a solid colour instead. Maybe if the rings were in HDT and the background was a solid, it might work.

And finally tonight, I thought I will share a picture of the orchid I bought a few weeks ago.

I really like this orchid. And not just for the colour and pattern on the flower. The flowers are scented. I couldn't believe it. While Phalaenopsis orchids do not normally have a scent, some phals, (often yellow ones) do (apparently). This particular plant, which, unfortunately is a NOID Phalaenopsis, has a fragrance that reminds me of lilac. The funny thing is, I notice the scent most often after my computer turns off the plant lights for the night. I wonder, though, if I am imagining that part. I guess that's all for now. If I can get a decent photo of my afghan in progress, I'll post again soon.

A Hat and a Bookmark, plus a preview

Well, I finished the tatted hat for my miniature crochet thread bear. Here it is:


And here is the hat on the bear:

The hat (called Tatted Red Hat) was designed by Gina Butler and is available from her website. I used white Coats crochet cotton in size 10. This is supposed to be red, but that colour would be so wrong with this bear. While it is a really nice pattern, for my purpose, the brim of the hat is too wide. I need to try to fix it. I had originally used size 20 thread, but it turned out too small to fit. I am going to call this motif #11.

For motif #12, I have made a bookmark:

This is actually an edging or insertion pattern called Interlocking Clovers from Mary Konior's book "Tatting Patterns". I haven't heard much about this book, though I don't know why. It is a very nice book full of an assortment of patterns. I bought my copy about a year ago, at a book sale/fundraiser for the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. I don't think I should tell you what I paid for the book. Let's just say, I'm not complaining. For the bookmark, I used some of LadyShuttleMaker's (Sherry Pence) HDT called "Shades of Gray". This would make a good gift for a guy if the excess picots from the rings and chains are eliminated.

Finally, here is a preview of what I have been working on in between the other projects I have been working on.